Charcoal planker



June 15, 1954 E. c. SMITH CHARCOAL PLANKER Filedl oct. 25. 195o 3Sheets-Sheet 2 f a am INVENTOR EVELYN C. SMITH TORNEYS June 15, 1954 E.c. SMITH 2,681,001 lCl-mRcoLxL PLANKER Filed OC-t. 23, 1950 3Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR EVELYN C. SMITH ATTORNEYS Patented June 15, 1954UNITED STATES 1 Claim.

This invention appertains to the barbecuing or broiling of food stuffs,such as sh, steaks, chops etc., and more particularly to a novel broileror planker for use in barbecuing pits.

One of the primary objects of my invention is to provide a novel broilerfor barbecuing pits, so constructed that both the Iish and the plank, orthe meat and the sizzling platter, as the case may be, are eiectivelyand properly held within the broiler, so that when the food is cooked,the same with the plank or platter can be quickly removed together, as aunit, and served directly on the table.

Another salient object of the invention is the provision of meanswhereby the two sections of the broiler can be held varying distancesapart so as to hold planks and platters and foods of diierentthicknesses.

A further important object of the invention is the provision of meansfor resiliently supporting one section of the broiler on the othersection of the broiler so as to prevent the plank from resting too rmlyon the fish being cooked.

A further important object of the invention is the provision of novelmeans for associating the broiler with a barbecue pit, so that `thebroiler can be held at different distances from the coals or othersource of heat and at diierent angles, in case the heat is greater atone side of the broiler than the other.

A still further object of my invention is to provide an improved fishplanking device, which can be easily taken apart and cleaned.

With these and other objects in View, the invention consists in thenovel construction, arrangement and formation of parts, as will behereinafter more specically described and claimed, and illustrated inthe accompanying drawings, in which drawings,

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through a portion of a barbecuingpit, showing my improved device associatedtherewith, the section beingtaken substantially on the line I-I of Figure 2, locking in thedirection of the arrows.

Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional View taken on the line 2 2 of Figure1, looking in the direction of the arrows and showing the broiler inplan, with parts thereof broken away and in section.

Figure 3 is a side elevational View of the broiler itself removed fromthe pit.

Figure 4 is a detail sectional View taken at right angles to Figure l,and on the line 4 4 of Figure 1, showing the diierent angular positionsof the broiler in dotted lines.

Figure 5 is a detail, horizontal sectional view through the broiler,taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 3, looking in the direction of thearrows, showing the removable lower grid.

Figure `6 is a Vsectional view through the pit taken on the line 0 6 ofFigure l, looking in the direction of the arrows, illustrating one typeoi means employed for adiustably supporting the forward end of thebroiler.

Figure 7 is a. longitudinal sectional View through the broiler showingone section swung open to a partially raised position to permit theremoval of the plank from the broiler.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary detail, horizontal sectional View, showing animproved form of means for supporting the broiler in the pit.

Figure 9 is a longitudinal sectional view through a modied form of thebroiler and illustrating the use of a sizzling platter therein, thesection being taken on the line 9-9 oi Figure 10, looking in thedirection oi the arrows.

Figure l0 is a top plan View oi the modified form of the broiler, withparts thereof broken away and in section to illustrate structuraldetail.

Figure 11 is a rear elevational View of the modified form of thebroiler.

Referring to the drawings in detail, wherein similar referencecharacters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views,the letter B generally indicates my novel broiler for use with a`barbecue pit P.

The barbecue pit P can be of any preferred form or character, and asillustrated includes front and rear walls I2 and i3 and end walls ld.These walls can all be formed from lire brick and the same support agrid l5 for holding coals I6. The parts of the Dit P above described arecommon, and I make no claim thereto but, however, I do provide specialmeans, which will be later specifically described for supporting mybroiler B.

The broiler B includes a pair of similar sections l 'i and I8, and forthe purpose of describing the device, the section Il can be consideredas the lower part and the section I8 as the upper part. The section l'iincludes an open rectangular frame I9, preferably formed from anglestrips so as to provide a bottom inwardly directed iiange 2G and amarginal wall 2|. The ange 2G supports an open grid 22, which can befashioned from any suitable material, such as expanded metal, but it isto be understood that I do not limit myself to expanded metal, asobviously, the same can be made from crossed rods or strips, orreticulated sheets. For the purpose of cleanliness, the grid 22 can beremovable, if so desired.

Rigidly secured to the forward end of the section Il, is a manipulatinghandle 23. As illustrated a reinforcing rod or Wire 24 is extended aboutthe marginal frame and the upper edges of the walls 2l are coiled overthis reinforcing wire or rod. rIhe ends of the wire are extended to formthe handle and a hand grip of nonheat conducting material 25 is securedto the ends of the rod or wire. The inner end of the hand grip isprovided with a tooth 26, for a purpose, which will be later described.

The section I8 is constructed very similar to the section Il, and henceincludes an open marginal frame 2l formed from an angle strip or strips,and this frame is also reinforced by a wire or rod 28. The marginalframe removably receives and supports a plank 29 on which fish or thelike 3G can be effectively broiled or cooked. The inner ends of thesections Il and i8 are adjustably and pivotally connected together by apair of loops 3i which loosely receive portions cf the reinforcing wiresor rods 2d and 28. The forward end of the section 2 l, has rigidlysecured thereto a bracket 32 and this bracket pivotally supports atoothed latch 33. The latch 33 extends between the terminals of thelower reinforcing wire 2d and this latchis normally urged toward thetooth 28 by a leaf spring 34 carried by the lower section. By pressingin on the latch 33, the same can be disengaged from the tooth 2t and thelatch and the section i3 can be swung up and down so as to permit thetooth 23 to engage in different keeper recesses in the latch so that theforward end of the section i8 can be held varying distances relative tothe lower section Il.

t is also preferred to place between the sections il and 8 bowed leafsprings or the like 35. These springs can be carried by the section I8and the resilient ends of the spring can rest upon the section ll, so asto prevent undue pressure down on the fish being cooked. As best shownin Figure 3, the springs 35 can be held in place by ears 3B, struck outfrom the rolled edge of the frame 2.

The inner end of the lower frame il can carry a pair of spaced outwardlyextending pins 3l, which are adapted to engage a part of the barbecuepit, and as clearly shown in Figures 1 and 2, the inner end of thebroiler is supported by these pins 31, and the outer or forward end ofthe broiler is supported on the pit by the handle 23.

in accordance with my invention, the rear wall i3 of the pit hasanchored therein a bracket and this bracket at spaced points is providedwith a vertical row of sockets 39. The bracket is further provided alongside of each one of the sockets 39, with a series of smaller openings30, preferably arranged in an arc of a circle (see Figure e). Thesockets 39 are preferably provided with a lower arcuate outwardlyextending reinforcing flange and this flange functions to furthersupport the pins 3l.

in use of the broiler, one pin is inserted in a socket 39, at a desiredheight and the other pin is then inserted in any selected opening Gil,adjacent to the socket so that the broiler can either be held in ahorizontal plane, should the heat be even, or at any desired angularposition relative to the horizontal, should the heat be greater near oneside of the broiler. While I have shown a single row of sockets 39, itis to be also understood that the row of sockets 39 and the openings lilcould be duplicated so that the broiler can be adjusted along the pit.

The front wall l2 of the pit P has anchored thereto a supporting plate4l and this plate is provided at spaced points with sockets 42 fordetachably receiving an upright arm 43, as best shown in Figures 1 and6. The upright arm 43 is provided at spaced points with bayonet slots t4for detachably receiving the forward end of the handle 23. The formationof the slots fill is such that the handle can be turned therein andeasily removed therefrom.

As illustrated in Figure '7, the broiler is placed with the section i8lowerrnost, and the plank 29 is then placed in the section I8, afterwhich the sh is placed on the exposed surface of the plank. The sectionI1 is then swung down and locked in the preferred adjusted position bythe latch 33. The broiler is then inverted so that the section Il willbe lowermost with the fish facing the grid 22. The broiler, is nowassociated with the pit P as previously described, and when the fish iscooked, the broiler is bodily removed from the pit and the section i8 isagain placed lowerinost. The section 22 is raised and the plank 29 withthe fish is bodily lifted from the broiler and placed on the table withthe fish ready to be served.

Also forming a part of my invention is the use of a platter in lieu ofthe plank 29, for broiling steaks, chops and the like, and in Figures 9to ll, inclusive, I have shown this arrangement in conjunction with aslightly modified form of the invention.

It is to be also understood that various changes in details can be madeto the broiler and the method of supporting the broiler in the pit. Forinstance (see Figure 8), the pins 3l need not be carried by the broilerbut can be carried by the pit. Thus, as shown in Figure 8, pins 45 canbe formed on a bracket l anchored to the rear wall i3 of the pit P andthe broiler B can have its frame provided with sockets for the receptionof the pins, Likewise cha-ins could be used for supporting the broiler.

Now, referring to Figures 9, l0 and l1 it can be seen that the modifiedform of the device also includes substantially like sections fl? and 48.In this form, the inner end of the section 138 carries upstandingbrackets @9 having a Series of spaced slots, 59 therein. rEhe inner endof the section i8 carries hooked tongues or'hinge leaves 5l and thesetongues are inserted within the selective slots 5), so as to obtain adesired adjustment between the sections :il and i8 and to permit theswinging of the sections relative to one another. The forward ends ofthe sections 4l and 48 are detachably latched together in the samemanner as shown in the first form. In the modified form, the section lreceives a grid 52 while the section 48 detachably receives a metallicgrid plate 53. Fitted flat aga-inst the grid plate 53 is a removablesizzling platter 5E on which steaks 55, chops or the like, can be serveddirectly on the table. In some instances, the grid 53 itself can be usedas a sizzling serving platter and where the same is used as a grid, itcan be perforated, if preferred.

From the foregoing description, it can be seen that have provided anovel broiler for planking sh and for broiling and serving steaks onsizzling platters.

It is to be also understood that an open grid formed from expanded metalor other desired material can be used in 1ooth of the sections of thebroiler where necessary or desirable.

Various other 'changes in details may be made without departing from thespirit or the scope of this invention, but what I claim as new is:

A broiler for cooking foods in a barbecue pit comprising a pair of likecompanion sections each including an open rectangular frame, arectangular grid carried by one section, a serving platter removablycarried by the other section, said serving platter being adapted tosnugly and removably t in the rectangular frame of said other section,the food being cooked being received by the grid and the platter, meanshingedly connecting the sections together, a manipulating handle carriedby one end of said first mentioned section, spaced supporting pinscarried by the opposite end of said other section, an inwardlyprojecting tooth secured adjacent the inner end of said manipulatinghandle, a spaced forwardly projecting leaf spring adjacent to and spacedfrom said tooth carried by said rst frame section, and a toothed latchpivotally supported by said other frame section and adapted to bereceived between said leaf spring and said tooth to adjustably supportone section above the other section.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberNumber Name Date Burriss Dec. 29, 1891 Van Wie Aug. 5, 1902 McCaugheyMar. 2, 1909 Taylor Dec. 5, 1911 Fell Oct. 8, 1912 Speaks Apr. 15, 1919Lemaster Mar. 6, 1928 Serrell May 7, 1929 Krag Oct. 4, 1932 Lee Aug. 8,1939 Damon Api'. 30, 1940 Bobo Oct. 6, 1942 Coffman July 15, 1947 BensonFeb. 20, 1951 Mitchell Nov. 20, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date GreatBritain 1891 France Sept. 20, 1934

